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Daines secures relief for Montana agriculture and livestock haulers

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana) this week announced the Department of Transportation has granted his request to continue exempting agriculture and livestock haulers from its electronic logging devices (ELD) mandate.

“Montana agriculture and livestock haulers are the wheels behind Montana’s economy,” Daines said in a news release. “I will continue working with Secretary [Elaine] Chao so we can find a path forward that will keep our roads safe while also allowing Montana’s agriculture community to continue growing and creating local jobs.”

Montana agriculture and livestock haulers have raised numerous concerns regarding the impact of electronic logging devices, including concerns over increased stress placed on livestock and potential costs of complying with the device.

Extending the exemption for these haulers will provide the DOT more time to sufficiently address these issues.

Danes has been working on the issue for several years.

In March 2018, he spoke with Chao, urging her to extend the DOT’s exemption on electronic logging devices for agriculture and livestock haulers.

In July 2017, he questioned Chao following an appropriations hearing, which led to a 90-day delay in the implementation of the electronic logging devices mandate.

In April 2017 he wrote to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) head Daphne Jefferson raising concerns of implications on livestock and privacy.

And in January 2016, Daines questioned former FMCSA head T.F. Scott Darling at a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing about the negative impacts electronic logging devices could have on agriculture and livestock haulers.